John Reynolds 1897-1941 - help needed.

[mosstrooper]

My uncle John Reynolds, born 1897 and registered in Bathgate west Lothian, died aged 44 years in 1941 and I know absolutely nothing about him other than the circumstances of his death. John was a Fireman aboard the ship Socony during ww2, engaged in the Atlantic Convoys at the worst period when Convoy losses were over 50% each voyage. I have his death certificate extracted from the Marine Register of Deaths and a full report taken from the Ships Log listing his Official Number 159450, his place of death 56*10 North by 14*08 West, his few posessions and his last known address in Grangemouth which I can give by PM if needed. The certificate does not give Next of kin.

I have tried everything I know to find out about Uncle John's life before this incident, I would like to know who lived at the last known address and if they had any kind of relationship with John, did he have children, I can find no marriage at SP there are about 4 other John Reynolds but not mine.

How can I learn who lived at his last known address in 1941 Grangemouth Stirlingshire.

For the record.
Father - Patrick Reynolds
Mother - Agnes McCrystal
Birth registered in Bathgate West Lothian.

James.

[GR2]

I have just had a look for him on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site as it can give useful details, but he doesn't seem to be there.

[JMStrachan]

Unfortunately, there's a 100 year embargo on the census being made public, so it's only possible to view that for 1911 and each decade before that. One way of finding out who lived at a specific address, however, is to search electoral rolls and valuation rolls. Very few of them are available online, though, so you'd have to visit the relevant records centre. http://www.nls.uk/family-history/voters-rolls might be of help.

[osprey28]

Just a thought James - you might get a tiny bit of info from the valuations rolls if you have a last known address for him - it might lead to something else.  Maybe worth a try.

Regards

Osprey

Oops - sorry just read all of the previous post sorry for duplication

[IMBER]

You may get some ideas for further research here:

http://www.rmg.co.uk/researchers/library/research-guides/the-merchant-navy/research-guide-c10-the-merchant-navy-world-war-two

Imber

[mosstrooper]

Thank you all for your helpful replies, I know about the Census and have checked out the Valuation-Electoral Rolls, unfortunately the records for the Falkirk District stop in 1923 and don't begin again till 1949. I live close enough to Falkirk & Edinburgh to check any records available, there are none, hence my plea for help.

Perhaps a little background might interest you all.
Uncle John was a Fireman serving aboard the SS. Socony Oil Tanker engaged in the WW2 Convoys from America which saved the UK from utter starvation during the war, suffering more than 50% losses to U Boats every trip. His shipmates complained to the Captain that he was talking to himself and shouting out in his sleep, disturbing others. He was interviewed by the First Officer who gave him strong sedatives to calm his nerves, sent him aft with a note to the Cook to give him a meal and ordered bed-rest. On his way aft, John was seen to go to the side of the ship and leap overboard, he must have been sucked under and hit by the Ships Propeller, he was seen to surface behind the ship for a time. Under orders not to stop, or deviate from its course in the Convoy, the Captain could only signal "Man overboard" to following ships in the hope he would be seen, John was lost.

His ship, SS. Socony, was owned by American company, Socony Vacuum Transportation Co. which became Standard Oil. The ship SS. Socony was in collision two voyages later and sank with all hands.

 SOCONY; Owned by the Socony Vacuum Transportation Co. and built in 1936 by Bremer Vulkan, Germany; 4,404 tons; 349.7x52.3x29.6; 425 n.h.p.; compound engine

While on her way with lubricating oil from Bay town to London, the British tanker Socony sank after a collision with the Tongariro on September 9th, 1941.

I would just like to know more about Uncle John before these sorry events happened, as I said I have his last known address in Grangemouth from the Merchant Navy, the house and street still exist but nobody there is old enough to remember wartime events. Having served in the Merchant Navy myself, I know what The Cruel Sea is like, but I can't begin to imagine what it was like serving in a floating bomb, setting out knowing the Wolf Packs of Submarines were waiting for you to pass at your maximum speed of 10 Knots, half that in bad weather.

James.

[IMBER]

If you have £15 to spare you could order up an extract of the details from his 1939 National Identity Card. As far as I can see all this will add is confirmation of his marital status. Anyway, you might want to read up a bit more about this:

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/famrec/how-to-order-an-official-extract-from-the-1939-national-identity-register.html

Imber

[mosstrooper]

If you have £15 to spare you could order up an extract of the details from his 1939 National Identity Card. As far as I can see all this will add is confirmation of his marital status. Anyway, you might want to read up a bit more about this:

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/famrec/how-to-order-an-official-extract-from-the-1939-national-identity-register.html

Imber

Thank you for this suggestion, £15 is not a lot to pay if it advances my knowledge however little.

James.